Shadow Presents a Unique, Honest View of Childhood and the Loss of Innocence

By Ethan Thomas

A tremendous amount of growth and learning takes place in the formative years of a child’s life. Shadow, an animated, experimental story by filmmaker Morning M. Wu, explores some of the struggles and realities of this period including the loss of innocence. Wu uses a visually rich animation style in her short film to address innocence and loss in an original, bold, and engaging way. The film can serve as a reminder of what is lost with age and how some yearn for the love and innocence that we leave behind.

Shadow is curated for the Planet Classroom by the National Film Festival for Talented Youth (NFFTY). The film is directed and animated by Morning M. Wu. I found the film to be well executed, from the story and themes through to the animation and editing. I would highly recommend this interesting and honest film to anyone who is a fan of animation as well as reflective and introspective narratives. I give this film 4.5 stars out of 5.

Ethan Thomas is a current student at Florida State University, set to graduate in May 2023. He is double majoring in Creative Writing and Information Technology and is pursuing a career in filmmaking.

Author: C. M. Rubin

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